Chems4EU: chemsex use and its impacts across four European countries in HIV-positive men who have sex with men attending HIV services

Introduction: Chemsex in a European context is the use of any of the following drugs to facilitate sex: crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)/gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) and, to a lesser extent, cocaine and ketamine. This study describes the prevalence of self-reported recreational drug use and chemsex in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) accessing HIV services in four countries. It also examines the problematic impacts and harms of chemsex and access to chemsex-related services. Methods: This is a cross-sectional multi-centre questionnaire study of HIV-positive MSM accessing nine HIV services in the UK, Spain, Greece and Italy. Results: In all, 1589 HIV-positive MSM attending HIV services in four countries completed the questionnaire. The median age of participants was 38 years (interquartile range: 32–46 years) and 1525 (96.0%) were taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). In the previous 12 months, 709 (44.6%) had used recreational drugs, 382 (24.0%) reported chemsex and 104 (6.5%) reported injection of chemsex-associated drugs (‘slamsex’). Of the 382 engaging in chemsex, 155 (40.6%) reported unwanted side effects as a result of chemsex and 81 (21.2%) as a result of withdrawal from chemsex. The reported negative impacts from chemsex were on work (25.1%, 96), friends/family (24.3%, 93) and relationships (28.3%, 108). Fifty-seven (14.9%) accessed chemsex-related services in the past year, 38 of whom (67%) felt the service met their needs. Discussion: A quarter of participants self-reported chemsex in the past 12 months. There were high rates of harms from chemsex across all countries, including negative impacts on work, friends/family and relationships. Although a minority of those engaging in chemsex accessed support, most found this useful

Better than nothing? Patient-delivered partner therapy and partner notification for chlamydia: the views of Australian general practitioners

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genital chlamydia is the most commonly notified sexually transmissible infection (STI) in Australia and worldwide and can have serious reproductive health outcomes. Partner notification, testing and treatment are important facets of chlamydia control. Traditional methods of partner notification are not reaching enough partners to effectively control transmission of chlamydia. Patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) has been shown to improve the treatment of sexual partners. In Australia, General Practitioners (GPs) are responsible for the bulk of chlamydia testing, diagnosis, treatment and follow up. This study aimed to determine the views and practices of Australian general practitioners (GPs) in relation to partner notification and PDPT for chlamydia and explored GPs' perceptions of their patients' barriers to notifying partners of a chlamydia diagnosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 40 general practitioners (GPs) from rural, regional and urban Australia from November 2006 to March 2007. Topics covered: GPs' current practice and views about partner notification, perceived barriers and useful supports, previous use of and views regarding PDPT.</p> <p>Transcripts were imported into NVivo7 and subjected to thematic analysis. Data saturation was reached after 32 interviews had been completed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Perceived barriers to patients telling partners (patient referral) included: stigma; age and cultural background; casual or long-term relationship, ongoing relationship or not. Barriers to GPs undertaking partner notification (provider referral) included: lack of time and staff; lack of contact details; uncertainty about the legality of contacting partners and whether this constitutes breach of patient confidentiality; and feeling both personally uncomfortable and inadequately trained to contact someone who is not their patient. GPs were divided on the use of PDPT - many felt concerned that it is not best clinical practice but many also felt that it is better than nothing.</p> <p>GPs identified the following factors which they considered would facilitate partner notification: clear clinical guidelines; a legal framework around partner notification; a formal chlamydia screening program; financial incentives; education and practical support for health professionals, and raising awareness of chlamydia in the community, in particular amongst young people.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>GPs reported some partners do not seek medical treatment even after they are notified of being a sexual contact of a patient with chlamydia. More routine use of PDPT may help address this issue however GPs in this study had negative attitudes to the use of PDPT. Appropriate guidelines and legislation may make the use of PDPT more acceptable to Australian GPs.</p

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Not AvailablePomegranates (cv. ‘Bhagwa’) packed in four semi-permeable films (Cryovac® BDF-2001, D-955, RD-106 and normal LDPE) were stored at ambient temperature (25–30 °C, 60–70% RH) and low temperature (8 °C, 80–85% RH) to study the effect of modified atmosphere (MA) packaging on storage life extension and quality maintenance. O2 and CO2 levels generated inside MA packs differed significantly with the film type wherein extremely high CO2 (> 70%) and low O2 (1% or less) were observed in BDF film during 3 weeks at ambient temperature and 3 months at 8 °C. Moderate O2 (3–8%) and CO2 (7–11%) were maintained in D-955 film, whereas very high O2 (18–20%) and low CO2 (2–4%) were maintained in RD-906 film. Significantly low weight loss of 0.73 and 0.52% was observed in MA packed (D-955) fruits after 3 weeks at ambient and 3 months at 8 °C respectively compared to 19.0 and 17.8% in non-packed fruits. Fruits packed in D-955 film also retained original peel colour (L*, h° and C*), whereas colour was adversely affected in fruits packed in low permeable BDF film. MA packaging maintained peel thickness and peel moisture, significantly higher than non-packed fruits at both temperatures. TSS, acidity, sugars, antioxidants and sensory qualities were better in D-955 and LDPE packed fruits at both ambient and 8 °C storage, whereas quality was adversely affected in BDF film packed fruits. MA packed (D-955 and LDPE) fruits had less spoilage up to 3 weeks at ambient (5.5 and 8.3%) and 3 months at 8 °C (2.8 and 9.7%). Quality got deteriorated by 4 weeks at ambient temperature and 4 months at 8 °C with enhanced spoilage. Pomegranate fruits cv. ‘Bhagwa’ can thus be stored safely for 3 weeks at ambient and 3 months at 8 °C storage by MA packaging in D-955 or LDPE film with least weight loss and maintenance of nutritional quality.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableFreshly-harvested mature green mangoes (cvs. ‘Alphonso’ and ‘Banganapalli’) were individually shrink wrapped using two semi-permeable Cryovac films® (D-955 and LD-935) and a locally available LDPE film. The shrink wrapped and non-wrapped fruit were stored at 8 °C for 5 weeks and transferred to ambient conditions for subsequent ripening, to study the feasibility of alleviation of chilling injury (CI) and to determine shrink wrapping effect on fruit quality. Shrink wrapped mangoes of ‘Banganapalli’ and ‘Alphonso’ cultivars packed in D-955 (15 μm thickness) film could be stored for 5 weeks at 8 °C in fresh and unripe green condition. After storage, these cultivars respectively lost only 0.5 and 1.4 % mass in case of shrink wrapping as compared to 5.8 and 6.9 % loss in non-wrapped fruit. After removal from low temperature and unwrapping, shrink wrapped mangoes showed normal respiratory behaviour with production of CO2 and ethylene peaks (climacteric peaks) during ripening, whereas non-wrapped fruit did not show any respiratory peaks. Shrink wrapped mangoes ripened normally within a week at ambient temperature (24–32 °C and 60–70 % RH) with good surface yellow colour (reflected by hue and chroma values), edible softness, retention of nutritional quality and acceptable organoleptic quality. These quality parameters were better in fruit wrapped with D-955 film compared to LD-935 and LDPE films. Total carotenoids in terms of β- carotene content were significantly higher in shrink wrapped fruit when compared to non-wrapped fruit. Among different shrink films, total antioxidant capacity and DPPH radical scavenging abilities were higher in LD-935 wrapped fruit in case of ‘Alphonso’ cultivar whereas these were on par in LD- 935 and D-955 film wrapped fruit in case of ‘Banganapalli’ cultivar.Not Availabl

Mass distribution in the quasi-mono-energetic neutron-induced fission of

The cumulative yields of various fission products in 232Th(n, f) with average neutron energies of 6.35, 8.53 and 10.09 MeV have been determined using an off-line $\gamma$-ray spectrometric technique. The neutron beam was produced from the 7Li(p, n) reaction. From the cumulative fission yields, the mass chain yields were obtained by using charge distribution correction of medium energy. The peak-to-valley ($P/V$) ratio, the average value of light mass ($\langle A_{L}\rangle$), heavy mass ($\langle A_{H} \rangle$) and the average number of neutrons ($\langle\nu \rangle$) at the three different neutron energies of the present work and at other energies from the literature in the 232Th(n, f) reaction were obtained from the mass yield data. The present and the existing literature data in the 232Th(n, f) reaction at various excitation energies were compared with similar data in the 238U(n, f) reaction. The fine structure in the mass yield distribution was interpreted from the point of nuclear structure effect such as shell closure proximity and even-odd effect. The role of standard I and standard II asymmetric mode of fission was discussed. The different types of mass-yield distributions between 232Th(n, f) and 238U(n, f) reactions were explained from different types of the potential energy between the two fissioning systems. The role of excitation energy was also investigated

Mass distribution in the quasi-mono-energetic neutron-induced fission of 232Th

The cumulative yields of various fission products in 232Th(n, f) with average neutron energies of 6.35, 8.53 and 10.09 MeV have been determined using an off-line $\gamma$-ray spectrometric technique. The neutron beam was produced from the 7Li(p, n) reaction. From the cumulative fission yields, the mass chain yields were obtained by using charge distribution correction of medium energy. The peak-to-valley ($P/V$) ratio, the average value of light mass ($\langle A_{L}\rangle$), heavy mass ($\langle A_{H} \rangle$) and the average number of neutrons ($\langle\nu \rangle$) at the three different neutron energies of the present work and at other energies from the literature in the 232Th(n, f) reaction were obtained from the mass yield data. The present and the existing literature data in the 232Th(n, f) reaction at various excitation energies were compared with similar data in the 238U(n, f) reaction. The fine structure in the mass yield distribution was interpreted from the point of nuclear structure effect such as shell closure proximity and even-odd effect. The role of standard I and standard II asymmetric mode of fission was discussed. The different types of mass-yield distributions between 232Th(n, f) and 238U(n, f) reactions were explained from different types of the potential energy between the two fissioning systems. The role of excitation energy was also investigated